Spacer



E. M. PENNOCK SPACER Nov. 21, 1933.

Filed July so. 1928 gj-rwwutoo Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATESSPACER Edward M. Pennock, Minneapolis, Minn, as-- signor to GFH. TennantCompany, Minneapo- I lis, Minn.,. a corporation of Minnesota ApplicationJuly 30, 1928. Serial No. 296,284

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a spacer which is particularly adapted forcrates such as are used for milk bottles and other containers. Theprimary object is to provide a spacer adapted to form a brace betweenthe partition members in the crate which not only properly spaces therespective partition. members crossingeach other, but ties them togetherin a manner to form a rigid, firm construction of a desirable nature tothe crate.

A feature of the invention resides in means for connecting the crosswires of a milk bottle crate in a manner so that the wires are .tiedtogether with a simple, inexpensive means, easily assembled in themanufacture of the crates.

, This means of tying the members together pro.-

vides a spacer. and is particularly adapted to wirepartition members.

In milk bottle crates it is desirable to use'wire partitions formed byspacing two or more par- ;allel wires superimposed and extending to theside walls of the crate. These wires are crossed in the formationof'tran'sverse and longitudinal partitions in the crate and itisdesirable that they be connected together in a manner to form acomparatively firm substantial partition which will keep their shapeunder severe use and hard handling. My spacer is desired to accomplishthese results as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out. In handlingcrates with these wire partitions they are often engaged by the wirepartitions and lifted and moved about, and I find that mycrateconstruction with these spacers ties the wire members forming the.partitions together in such a manner that the strain ;is distributedequally to the respective wires and thus forming a sturdy strongconstruction which will withstand the hard use to which these crates areplaced. t

Other features and objects will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawingl iguie 1 illustrates a plan view of a portion of a crateshowing my spacer. Figure 2 is a perspective under view of the spacer inenlarged formation.

Figure 3 is aside view in one spacer. w I

Figure 4 is a side view-in one direction of the spacer.'-

direction of the Figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion of a crate.

. The drawing illustrates my spacer A which is made of sheet metal ofany desired thickness to provide the necessary rigidity to the same. Thespacer A is formed of a single piece of sheet material and is adaptedtoengage the partition wires 10 and 11 to'connect the same together and tospace the'wires in such a manner as to form a brace at the intersectionof the same.

The wires 11 form the transverse partition wires of the crate B. Thetransverse partition wires 11 extend across the crate B and arcanchoredin the side members 12 in any suitable manner. These partition members11' extend parallel and superimposed to each other as i1- lustrated inthe side view of Figure 5.

The longitudinal partition wires 10 are also parallelly positioned toeach other and are superimposed. The wires 10 and 11 extendin closerelation to each other so that where they cross they virtually touch .orcontact, as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 inclusive.

The spacer plate A is shaped with sloped sides 14 projecting downwardlyfrom the top ridge 15. Theseplates may be made virtually square withdepending or sloping sides 14 and perforated with slots 16 through whichthe wire partition member 11 is adapted to extend; The top ridge 15forms a channel-like portion which is adapted to receive the Wirepartition member 10 and by means of the depending sides 1'7 the plateA-is reinforced along the edges. Thedepending sides 1'? are formed of anangular shape starting from the corners 18 and sloping with increasingwidth to the end 19'so as to form shoulders 20 by the ends of the Wallwhich are adapted to engage the'rod 10 which extends along the inside ofthe ridge 15.

Thus the side walls 17 provide a depending strengthening rib for the,plate A and also provide the shoulders 20 between which the wire 10passes so as to space the wire in the. plate A. The openings 16 engageor receive the wires 11. The wire 11 extends directly below the wire 10and the portion 22 at the corner 18 of the plate A engages beneath thewire lland thus forms a tie withthe engagement of the inside of theridge 15 by the wire 10 to tie the two wires 10 and 11 together byplacing a plate A at their intersecting point. These plates A are formedso that the wires can be slid through the plate and the openings 16 areformed so that a slight tension of the portions 22 against the wire 11causes the wire 11 to bear with a slight tension against the wire 10 andin a sense holds the wires 10 and 11 in contact with each other by aslight spring nature of the plate A. This provides a good substantialconstruction and forms a brace in the plate A at the intersecting pointsof the wires 10 and 11.

In making my crate B I prefer to use the plates A on the top wires 10and 11 of the crate B, as illustrated in Figure 5.

The plate A is used at the intersecting points of the wires 10 and 11 atthe uppermost wires of the partition ordinarily, however, when threewires or more than two wires are used in the height of the partitionsformed by the wires 10 and 11, then the plates A may be used at theintersecting points of these wires below the top wires. Or if it isdesired, the brace plates A may be used at all of the intersectingpoints of the wires 10 and 11.

The spacers A are adapted to form a means in the compartments forholding the bottles in one compartment from contacting with the bottlesin the adjacent compartment. In use the milk bottle crates B receiveconsiderable wear and tear and as the bottles are handled in thesecrates, they shift in the compartments quite readily. It is necessarythat they fit free in the respective compartments and by means of myspacer, the bottles are separated one from the other so that breakage isovercome, thereby providing a very desirable means of spacing thebottles and at the same time functioning to hold the wires in properspaced relation yet giving sufiicient spring to the wire partitions toprevent rigid jarring against the bottles.

When the plates A are only used on the top partitions wires 10 and 11,then angle iron connecting members C, which will be hereinafterdescribed, may be used to connect the lower wires with the topmostWires.

The upper wires 10 and 11 of the crate B may be connected together bythe angle iron members C so as to tie the wires 10 and 11 which form thepartitions for the crate B together. The angle irons C are formed withone side 23 which extends up and in which a hole is punched to receivethe wire 11. The other side is cut away at 24 so as not to interferewith the plate A. These angle iron members C extend as illustrated inFigure 5 and connect the partition wires 10 and 11 together by means ofsuitable holes formed 45 in the angle iron members C which receive therespective wires. The center angle members C extend down to engage alower partition wire 11 and this wire 11 is adapted to extend below theI crate bottom wires 25 so that these center angle members C carry theload on the bottom wires 25 which form the bottom of each of the bottlecompartments 26 in the crate B to the other partition wires 10 and 11.Thus the angle members C assist to distribute the load from therespective wires and by means of the partition plate A I provide braceson the top partition wires which properly space the same apart and whichform platelike members at the intersections of the top respectivepartition wires 10 and 11. This structure for the crate B gives a sturdysubstantial construction adapted to receive wear and tear in the use ofthese crates.

In handling the crates B they are often engaged by the partition wires10 or 11 and lifted and unless these wires are properly braced they willbend out of shape and the crates will soon become ineffective in servingthe purpose desired, because if the partition wires 10 and 11 becomebent and unshapely, then the bottles held in the respective compartments26 will strike against each other and easily break in the handling ofthe crates of bottles. Thus it is evident that the keeping of thepartition Wires shapely. and in proper position is of primaryimportance.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described my crate andillustrated the best em bodiment of my respective elements making up.the same, I desire to have it borne in mind, however, that obviouschanges may be made within the scope of the following claims withoutdeparting from the intent and purpose of the invention.

I claim:

1. A spacer including, a plate-like body member formed of a single sheetof springy material, depending flange members extending from the sidesof said spacer having a sloping formation in a manner to decrease inwidth from one corner to the other of said spacer, the extreme width ofsaid flange members forming shoulders at two of the corners of saidspacer, a ridge extending through the body of said spacer to the cornersfrom which said shoulders project to receive a wire from corner tocorner between said shoulders adapted to lie in said ridge along thebottom of said spacer, and openings formed in the opposite corners ofsaid spacer adapted to receive a second wire to hold the same underspring tension over said spacer against the bottom of said first wire,said wires forming the partition members of a crate.

2. A spacer for crates adapted to engage the wire partition members atthe intersecting points to hold the same together under spring tensionof the spacer, said spacer including a single piece springy platemember, means formed in said plate to receive the partition membersextending transversely to each other to hold the same'together by thespring tension of said plate and to form a brace spacer to hold thepartition wires square at their intersecting points. I

3. A crate including, a series of wire partition members adapted tointersect each other at right angles and engage with each other at theintersecting points, spacer plates having a channel formed by saidplates and by flanges depending therefrom to receive one of the spacerwires in one direction, and openings in the sides'of said spacer toreceive the wirepartition member extending in the other direction, andmembers extending below the topmost wire partition member flexiblyconnecting and holding properly spaced the wire partition members in amanner to distribute the strain of the wire partition members from oneto the other wire and to the lowermost wires in said crate.

4. A spacer plate for crates adapted to engage the wire partitionmembers at their intersectingpoints including, a body portion bent witha ridge forming a wire receiving channel from one corner to the other,fiat sloping sides of a triangular nature extending from said ridge,wire receiving openings in said sloping sides, a separate flange memberformed along each side of said spacer and depending therefromreinforcing the fiat wire receiving sides, starting. at the corners ofsaid sloping sides and increasing in width toward the corners throughwhich said ridge extends and shoulders formed by said flanges adjacentsaid last named corners to hold a partition member in said channel.

5. A spacer for wire partitions of a crate comprising, a springyplate-like body, said plate being bent to form a wire receiving channelextending through two opposite corners of said plate, the formation ofsaid channel providing depending top sides extending toward the twoopposite corners of said spacer, slots in said depending sides adaptedto receive a wire partition member directly below the wire partitionmember adapted wires may be connected together under spring tension ofsaid spacer by passing one wire through said channel and the otherthrough said slots.

7. A spacer for intersecting wire partition members of a crateincluding, a rectangular plate member formed of a single piece ofspringy sheet material, a ridge formed by bending said sheet diagonally,a groove formed by the bending of said plate to contain one wirepartition member,

and openings formed in said plate oppositely disposed on either side ofsaid ridge through which the other partition member may extend when saidspacer is bent under spring tension to pinch said one partition memberagainst said plate.

EDWARD M. PENNOCK.

